The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-18
A ROMANCE OF CRIME
Thrilling Story Recalled by the Release
from Prison of Charles Becker.

Commercial Bank forger, now serving a
long term III the Ohio penitentiary, is re-
called By the release from the New York
penitentiary Of his old partner, Charles
Becker, who is one of the cleyerest forgels
and counterfeiters in the world. Does
crime, for which he is now doing time. is
too well known to recall in detail His
right name is Ivan Siscovitch. He and
Fred Marker were sent up from this city
for forgeries on the Commercial Bank
Marker died some time ago, 1t has always
been understood that Doe would lie claim
ed by the authorities of England for the
MURDER OF MRS LYDIA CHAPMAN,
in London, in 1872, as soon as his term ex-
pred at the Ohio Pen. The story of that
crime will be found in the following inter
esting history of Becker. Becker was SEN
fenced to six years and six months impris
onment on Dec. II, 1881 for his | 900 franc
note forgery on the Bank of France. His
skill as counterfeiter brought him into
close association with Charles o. Brockwav.
Jr,, E. Brockway, R. S, Billiard, Billy Ogle,
Wilkes, Albert Wilson and other
notorious forgers. When he was
placed in prison nearly six years ago
he and his friends openly boosted that he
was entirely too valuable man to be
allowed to spend six years in enforced re-
tirement, and that neither the penitentiary
nor any other prison in the country was
strong enough to hold him. Before he was
year in the prison he planned skillful
scheme to escape by having duplicate KEYS
of his cell and of the doors of the corridors
in which he was locked up made Warden
Green discovered the plot few DAYS before
it was to be put into execution, and Becker
since then has been very obedent prisoner.
HIS ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
reduced the Communication to which he
would otherwise have been entitled bv
nearly year. He has worked almost con
tinuously in the shoe shop, but the manner
in which he has made up Warden Green's
annual statistical reports show that his pen
manship is still perfect, and that his fingers
have not lost that delicacy of touch which
made him famous among his counterfeiting
associates.
He is not yet 40 years old, and he looks
as stout, fresh and rosy as he did before his
long sojourn on Crow Hill. He is feet
inches tall, has iron-gray hair, hazel eyes
and light complexion. Becker came with
his parents to this country from Germany
when he was lad, and learned the en-
graver's trade. His expertness attracted
the attention of George Engler, George
Wilkes, and other celebrated forgers, and
he soon became their valuable ally. His
connection with the
ROBBERY OF THE THIRD NATIONAL BANK OF
BALTIMORE,
in August, 1872, brought him into notorietv.
and, finding that the detectives were on his
track, he fled to Europe with Joe Elliott.
and united with Joe Chapman Ivan Sisco-
witch and others to food Turkey with
forged drafts. They were all arrested, and
each was sentenced TO three years and six
months Imprisonment in Smyrna. They
were transferred to more secure prison in
Constantinople, from which Becker, Elliott
and Siscovitch made their escape leaving
Joe Chapman behind them. Becker and
his two companions fed to London and
lived for while at Mrs Chapman's house.
One morning Mrs Chapman, who
knew their secrets and who
was supposed to be incensed
against them for leaving her husband be-
hind in Turkey, was found dead, with ali
her money and jewelry missing. Siscovitch,
who was suspected of numbering her, fed
to America. Becker and Elliott soon fol-
lowed, arriving in New York in July, 1876
Becker, Joe Elliott and Clement Herring
were arrested in this city on April 10, 1877,
for the S64, 900 forgery on the Union Trust
Company, and Becker saved himself by
turning States evidence. Becker was again
arrested in January, 1881, on suspicion of
being engaged with George Wilkes and
others, then under arrest IN Italy, in a
gigantic scheme to forge mercantile paper
in Europe The effort to have Becker ex-
tradited failed and he was soon released.
BEcKER's NEXT EXPLOIT
was the forging of the 1000 franc note on
the Bank of France. He and Nathan Marks,
constable, who was soon released. were ar
rested on Sept. 16, 1881, in pretty little cot
tage in East New York, where Becker had
established a complete counterfeiting estab-
lshment His work on the 1000 franc note
was almost complete and in few weeks a
very perfect counterfeit Bank Of France
note would have been in circulation. The
President of the Bank came over to testify
at the trial, and he pronounced Becker's
engraving even more perfect than the origi-
nal. singular incident in the case is that
the genuine 1000 franc note, from which
Becker made the forgery, disappeared from
the safe in the District Attorneys Office soon
after the trial, and it has never been discov-
ered.s Gen. Catlin was District Attorney at
the tine and Becker threatens to sue for
the note when he regains his liberty.
Becker married a pretty East New York
girl soon after his return from Europe, and
he suspects that one of her relatives in
formed on him and was well paid by the
Bank OF France. His wife, to whom he is
much attached, has visited him regularly
since his imprisonment. Becker thus relates
the particulars of
HIS EsCAPc FROM THE PRISON IN coNsTAN-
lANOEl~h,
which he describes as a prison of the old
fashioned sort, with walls four feet in
thickness, solid cell doors and cast-steel CRATE
bars an inch and hall square:
The cell doors locked with top and boz
tom bolts, and, though each had its key,
there was general key that fitted all Of
them. A key like that was useful, and it
was by mere accident that we got one. 1t
happened one day that the prison Marshal
came rushing IL to have u prisoner sign
some papers, and lie rushed out again, leav-
ing his key sticking in the key-hole. 1t
wasn't very long before we had an impress
sion OF it, and it was back in the locks
egaip. After getting the shape of the key,
we had Mrs. Siscovitch bring us two blank
Keys, ssno little files, some Turkish caps,
and thrce lantAr:l5 Chapman, Elliott and
wcle IL one cell, and Siscovitch was in
with some sailors around the corner of the
Corridor. | was the last man to be locked
UP az night; 50, when we were all ready and
had put enough rope where it was wanted,
slipped around and unlocked the door of
SlscoviLch's apartment and then went back
10 lie locked up. About midnight, whent the
guards were snoring, Siscovitch gets out
ana u,liocNs our door. Chapman was asleep
ond We didn't walcen him, for it we had
he'd have hollercd murder and spoiled our
plans
''lVe 1roko o-,n,, tba stora- rooy,1 tr0t orr